I just read a brief news paper article about a pastor from Wisconsin who was fined for shooting an arrow in a church service.No I didn’t move to Wisconsin.It does cause me to think...How long would my prison sentence be?Forget the fine.Shooting tennis balls in a water balloon launcher… into the audience.Lots of fire.LOTS of fire.Throwing people. Hitting people. Holding 200 pound rocks over people. Throwing TVs.Throwing more TVs.Being hit with a baseball bat.Hitting people with a baseball bat.FORGET THE FINE.PRISON TIME.

All with the hope of seeing people become a more committed follower of Christ.Would I do all these things again?If it helps people see the bible as the living word of God…If it encourages people to be closer to Jesus…I would do them all.Well maybe not hit the pregnant lady with a baseball bat, but the rest… no question.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

It has been a wild 3 weeks.My family was sick, than I was sick.(week one)The Corner Church / Corner Coffee staff / family was sick and I covered a bunch of shifts.(week two)I spent the week coaching at a Church Planters Boot Camp.(week three)The thing that I am wrestling with today is that it is easy for me to always be in a busy season.I usually say, even think that it is busy now, but it will slow down next week or next month or next year…I need to work harder on building my to not do list.It is hard because I love so many things.I want to be involved in so many things.I see benefit in so many things.BUT…Doing everything is not healthy for my marriage, my kids, my faith, my ministry…Who am I to think that my involvement in EVERYTHING is key to what God is doing today.It is possible to be lazy.To watch Sports Center fifteen hours a day, but that is not my issue.I need to trust more.Trust that it is up to my savior, not up to me.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

This week I am coaching at a Church Planter’s Boot Camp here in Minneapolis.Boot camp may be strong wording.There is not much yelling “YES DRILL SERGEANT,” but it is a week of intense training.

It was not to many years ago that church planters were given a slap on the back and sent on their way.The slap may or may not have been meant as an encouragement.Today church planting is viewed as an amazing tool of God.Beyond that, it is kind of trendy.The danger of a ministry being trendy is that it can draw people in apart from God’s plan.That situation has the potential to hurt the planter and all people within his or her reach.This thought should not deter people from planting, but reaffirm the urgency in seeking Jesus’ direction.

With these thoughts I am reminded that Jesus has a limitless human resource department.Jesus using Amber and I in planting a new faith community is humbling and is an unbelievable honor.I can’t believe we get to do this.